If you’re like us and are looking forward to Killzone 2 next month we may have some good news. However, if you’re still slightly on the fence and want to get your hands on a demo in order to give it a test-run before deciding on a purchase, we maybe have some bad, and admittedly, baffling information.

Sometimes things are just a little backward in the gaming world. Team Ico only release a game in what feels like once every ninety years while the “annual update” phenomenon of some lesser titles are churned out like undercooked hamburgers.Â Games that are developed in Europe, and are popular in Europe, sometimes don’t get released the same time in Europe as the other regions (re: LittleBigPlanet) and the less I say about JPRGs this generation the better.

Sony aren’t immune to this backward thinking (just look at how long it took to get in-game XMB and Trophies out) and it appears the genius marketers have struck again with the announcement that a pre-release Killzone 2 demo will be available but only to those who have already pinned their support to the game and went ahead and pre-ordered it. And only at GameStop.

Read on for the full madness.

Slapping down a crisp $5 note on any US GameStop counter (international GameStops don’t count) will get the early adopter the privilege of a sparkling new code which grants access to the elusive demo on the PSN. It’s important to note that you’re not paying for the code here. This price is obviously offset against the final price of the game when you waltz in to pick up the final product. (Waltzing is optional)

It is somewhat odd to proffer a demo to people who are already confirmed purchasers of the game. Usually demos serve the purpose of giving the undecided a chance to try for themselves and, hopefully, convince them that the game is good. This “reverse rewarding” practice has us totally stumped.

It’s not all mystery and oxymoron however. The very same demo will see a global release on the PSN after the game has been released. We don’t know exactly when but, considering Sony really need a big hit to start off 2009, we wouldn’t be surprised if it magically materialises on the PlayStation Store in March or, at the latest, April.

[Update] SCEE have told Videogamer.com that Europe will get a demo of Killzone 2 in “the normal manner”*. No US GameStop shenanigans whatsoever. Ah, it doesn’t happen often but, sometimes it’s good to be European.

*Note: it doesn’t say when the demo will drop so there is no guarantee that it will be before the release of the final product.